A finely engraved, oval-shaped Sassanian stamp seal made from veined alabaster, displaying the natural, attractive texture of the stone. The piece represents a carved floral impression to the bottom, which might have been derived from the traditional Mesopotamian imagery prototype of the tree of life. The two plants are reduced to a highly abstract scheme, attesting the iconic Sassanian glyptic style. The branches of the tress are depicted in short, deeply grooved incisions, protruding from the central grooved line that might symbolise the stem of the greenery. The piece features a horizontal perforation, suggesting it was once worn as a personal ornament. This seal comes with a museum-quality, baked modern impression. Seals were often made of stone however there are also examples rendered in bone, ivory, faience, glass, metal, wood, and even sun-dried or baked clay. In the ancient world, seals guaranteed the authenticity of marked ownership – as such, they were instrumental in legal transactions, and in the protection of goods against theft. Seal amulets with stylised animals have been found throughout Mesopotamia in contexts dating to the late fourth millennium BC, although stamp seals and cylinder seals were the predominant types in the ancient Near East. Measurements: Circa H 1.6cm x W 1.7cm Provenance: From the collection of a deceased gentleman, by descent to the family, pre 1988.